Our Infirmary. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



OUR INFIRMARY. 



|HE first patient we had under our care was the 

 beautiful cinnamon bird, who, as we have 

 already stated, was in a most deplorable state 

 from dirt and neglect. The first thing we prescribed 

 for her was the free use of the bath, of which she 

 speedily and daily continued to avail herself. This 

 soon effected a great change for the better in the general 

 appearance of her plumage, but now a more serious 

 matter demanded our attention. When she first came 

 into our possession her feet were mere balls of dirt, 

 which, though soon removed by the free use of the 

 bath, so inflamed them that she could hardly put one 

 foot to the ground. Indeed at night we discovered her 

 frequently on the floor, panting and heaving with pain, 

 sitting crumpled up in a corner instead of resting on a 

 perch like her companions. We bathed her foot in 

 warm water several times a day, and then dressed it 

 with glycerine, at the same time mixing a few drops of 

 aconite in her water to reduce the fever, which was 

 considerable. Although the glycerine evidently did 

 her foot good, yet we could not continue it, as it made 

 such a mess with her feathers, to which it stuck most 

 pertinaciously. We then tried spermaceti ointment, 

 but this she invariably pecked off almost as soon as 



